


Promises

by theimpossiblepossiblegirl



Series: 52 Short Stories in 52 Weeks [8]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Description of war activties, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-21
Updated: 2016-02-21
Packaged: 2018-05-22 10:21:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6075615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theimpossiblepossiblegirl/pseuds/theimpossiblepossiblegirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When John goes off to war in his last deployment, he makes several promises to Rose. He intends on keeping them all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Promises

**Author's Note:**

> Week Eight - A story set during a war

“It’s only for four months and then I’ll be home. For good.” John promised his fiancé, two weeks before he was to be deployed, again. He had turned to the army right out of University almost twenty years ago and kept re-enlisting. While Rose supported him, he knew it was taking its toll on her. Just as much as it was taking a toll on him. Two years ago, he had proposed, right before he was leaving for another tour. He had promised her this was his last tour and when he got back, they would get married.

“Promise?”

“I promise, love. I’ll write to you.” He added softly, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “I’ll miss you.”

“I’ll miss you more.” Rose told him as she wrapped her arms around his waist in a hug. Every time he was deployed, she wrote to him, even if she received his letters weeks later and sometimes out of order, she still wrote to him. He had only been home five months before he was given his papers again, with a new deployment date. “Straight to the registrar’s office when you get back.”

“I promise.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, wrapping his arms around her. “Pick me up at the airport and we’ll go straight there. Army fatigues and all. We’ll figure the rest out later.”

It was just the two of them now, no family left for either of them. John knew Rose would see their mates while he was gone, but it was hard for her to find someone to talk to about it. He had met Rose fifteen years ago, at the hospital. He had been in for a medical exam while she was in saying goodbye to her mum. He had found her crying in a hallway and had comforted her, as much as he could. There was a ten-year difference between the two and she had only been fifteen at the time. In an effort to give her some sort of comfort, he asked her to write to him, as mates. He read about her fears, her issues with her foster families, and saw the tear marks on the pages she wrote. Every time he saw those, his heart broke. John waited until she was eighteen and he was home on leave to ask her out. They had been together ever since.

“I love you.”

“I love you too, my precious girl. We’ll settle down in four months and we’ll finally be together for longer than a few months.”

“I fully expect flowers every week once you get home.” She joked, looking up at him, a smile on her lips.

“Every Saturday.” He promised, running his fingers gently through her hair.

It was two weeks later and Rose found herself dropping John off at the airport. This was the part she hated most. John’s best mate, Jack went with her this time to offer support and to drive her home. She always promised John she wouldn’t cry in front of him and in the past eleven years, she has kept her promise to him. She always waited until she was home to break down. John admitted to her once in a letter that he broke down too, whenever he had to leave her. It was the worst feeling in the world.

His country needed him and the army had kept him out of trouble when he was younger and that’s all that mattered. This tour wasn’t supposed to be his last, the one before was scheduled to be his last but as a Regimental Sergeant Major, they had asked him if he could do one more tour and after speaking to Rose, he had agreed. Her only concern was for his wellbeing. The past two tours had been rough on John and he often had nightmares, ones that would leave him in mental agony.

“Take care of yourself, yeah?” Rose told him as she stuffed two letters into his bag before he hoisted it up onto his back.

“I will. Start making whatever changes you want to the house. Don’t wait for me.” When he came back, they would be living in their new house, something they had both worked hard for. “Just make sure the – “

“Bed is comfortable and that neither of us will have a spring pressing into our backs in two months.” She finished for him, a grin on her face. “I will. Jack said he was going to buy it for us as a wedding slash house warming present. I can’t wait for you to come back home and we can stay in bed all day on the weekends.”

“I can’t wait to break in the new bed with you.” He murmured, pressing a kiss to her lips.

“Okay you two, enough flirting.” Jack commented, a smile on his face.

John looked over at his best mate, a solemn look on his face. “Take care of her for me, will you Jack?”

“You have my word.”

Rose cuddled against her fiancé’s chest, her head against his shoulder. “Love you.”

“I love you. If I can, I’ll call you and I’ll send letters when I can. But don’t stop writing me, I want to hear everything.”

“I’ll write every day.”

Hearing his flight being called, John wrapped his arms around Rose and kissed her. He poured the next four months of his feelings into the kiss, knowing it could very well be the last kiss he bestows upon her lips. It needed to count. It was one he gave her every time he left, worried she would forget his kiss. Letting go of her, he shook hands with Jack and made his way over to the gate. He looked back a few times, wanting one last look at her. She had given him a picture to take with him but it wasn’t the same. He was looking forward to the day he would be able to see her every day. Four months, that’s all he needed to get through.

His first month back in Afghanistan had been quiet. He stayed mostly in one of the bases they had set up and worked on tactical planning, should a situation ever need it, and training some of the new soldiers. While he knew it was unlikely, he wished the next four months could go as smoothly. It was in his second month that he saw action, they had been ambushed and were able to get away safely, but it still gave him a reality check. They were in the middle of a war, he had a gun strapped to his side and moved around in a group. His only saving grace were the letters Rose wrote to him. He was getting them sporadically, but they still meant everything to him. While he knew she was getting his letters out of order, he still wrote to her, as much as he could. He left out the part about being ambushed, not wanting her to worry.

It was in the beginning of month four when Rose received two visitors. Two usually meant the worst and all she could remember was that he had been captured. The officers finally got hold of Jack who was on his way over to stay with Rose and to speak with the officers. As far as they knew John was okay as were the other officers he had been captured with. They wanted to make a trade, Britain’s soldiers for the Afghanistan ones that had been captured a few months prior. They were working out a deal and would keep Rose informed as it progressed. Once the officers left, Jack held Rose while she cried.

“He’s coming back, Rose. He wouldn’t leave you, not like this.”

“Why’d have to go back? I should have told him no, not to go back.”

“He’s going to be fine. They’re doing everything they can. He’ll be home before you know it.”

It took the army two and a half months to bring them home. They didn’t tell the families until they were back in Britain, wanting to spare any miscommunication. John had them call Jack, not wanting to upset Rose anymore and had Jack bring Rose to the base. No matter what anyone did, they couldn’t bring her out of her funk and Jack was hoping now that John was home, she would be okay. She didn’t speak the whole ride, despite Jack telling her where they were going. She didn’t speak while they walked from the car onto the base, or when they were led down hall into the room where John was waiting. It wasn’t until she saw him, bruised, arm in a sling that she spoke.

“John?” Rose’s voice was so quiet, only John could hear her.

“It’s me, love. I’ve missed you, so much.” He mumbled as he approached her, wrapping his good arm around her as he breathed in her scent. “I’m so sorry.”

“Oh John.” Rose wrapped her arms around him and broke down crying, not caring if she broke her promise of not crying in front of him. He was home, that’s all that mattered to her.

They didn’t move for several minutes, too wrapped up in each other to care about moving. It was Jack that finally brought them out of their state by suggesting they head home, if possible.

“Signed everything I had to and gave my statements before. I can leave.” John told him softly, tucking Rose against his side. “We have a stop to make before going home though.”

She looked up at him, letting out a sniffle as she rubbed her eyes. The tears were still flowing, but not as fast as they had been. “John that can wait.”

“No. I promised you as soon as I was home we would get married. I’m keeping that promise.”

Jack led them out to the car and watched as they climbed into the back together, not wanting to be apart. As Jack drove, he heard the pair whispering to each other, mostly John reassuring her he was okay and he wasn’t going anywhere.

“I missed you.” Rose told him softly, hoping the last of her tears had fallen. “So much.”

“I missed you. I’m not leaving again. Told them they can shove it.”

Rose giggled quietly, giving him a small smile. “I was afraid I’d never see you again.”

“I fought tooth and nail to get back to you. Wasn’t going to let that happen. I made a promise to you, Rose Tyler. I keep my promises.”

They arrived at the registrar’s office half an hour later and were able to go in and get married, with Jack as their witness. Jack handed them both rings, shooting John a wink before moving back off to the side. It wasn’t long before they were declared husband and wife and John was kissing Rose as though his life depended upon it. As they walked out, John looked over at her, giving her a soft smile.

“I love you, Mrs. Smith.”

“I love you too, Mr. Smith.”

“Forever?”

“Forever.” She confirmed before resting her head against his shoulder. She too always kept her promises.


End file.
